Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

Event Details

Stanhope The Heavens Declare*
Mahler Symphony No.7

Sir Andrew Davis conductor
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Chorus

Musicians from all over the world mark Mahler’s 10 symphonies as ‘must play’ works, with expansive and inspirational melodies oozing from the master musical craftsman’s scores. For Mahler, inspiration often struck in unusual places. He came up with a theme melody for his Symphony No.7 whilst rowing in an alpine lake.

Setting off a flurry of musical activity for the Austrian composer, conductor and pianist, his structurally peculiar Seventh Symphony became one of the finest examples of music making in the declining years of Austro-German domination of European music.

Brilliant, intriguing, difficult, and complete with a myriad of more unusual orchestral instruments (tenor horn, mandolin, guitar and cowbell) – it is easy to see why music critic Michael Kennedy called it ‘Mahler’s most glamorous symphony’.

Mahler’s Seventh Symphony, sometimes called Song of the Night, will be paired by Australian composer Paul Stanhope’s ode to the night skies, The Heavens Declare, in the Melbourne performance.

*Stanhope’s The Heavens Declare is not being performed in Geelong

Hamer Hall running time: 2 hours, including a 20-minute interval

Featured non-Australian music: Mahler

Further information for this event is available online at the event's website or by phone on (03) 9929 9600

Featured Australian Works

The heavens declare : a choral symphony for large chorus and orchestra (1999) by Paul Stanhope — performed by Andrew Davis, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Chorus and Melbourne Symphony Orchestra

Featured artists

• Performer Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
• Performer Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Chorus
• Conductor Andrew Davis